Option B - Oceans & Coastal Margins
Unveiling The Secrets Of Ocean Currents Impact On Climate And Ecosystem
Table of content
Ocean currents 101
- Ocean currents are like highways of the sea, influenced by prevailing winds.
- Mainly they circulate in a roughly circular flow known as gyres, spinning clockwise in the North and anticlockwise in the South. Think of them like big water roundabouts. 🔄
Example: A cool exception is the circumpolar current around Antarctica, which flows west to east, doing its own chilly thing.
- Gyres cause water to pile up into a dome due to Earth's rotation. Imagine water sloshing around in a spinning bucket. 💧🌀
Example: The Gulf Stream, a fast-flowing current, works like a water escalator, moving heat from the Gulf of Mexico northwards across the North Atlantic. It's a bit like a marine underfloor heating system for the British Isles, making winters milder and summers cooler.
- Warm currents move water from the equator, and cold currents move water from cold regions towards the equator.
Example: Imagine the warm Gulf Stream as a gigantic river, moving an epic 55 million cubic meters of water per second! That's like 22,000 Olympic swimming pools every second! 🏊♀️🏊♂️
- Ocean currents are also nutrient taxis, moving essential nutrients around the globe.
Example: The Peru Current and the Benguela Current off south-west Africa bring nutrient-rich waters to the surface, giving a buffet for marine life and supporting vital fisheries.
Ocean currents & temperature
- Currents can act as a natural heater or cooler, depending on whether they're warm or cold.
- Warm currents can raise temperatures in polar areas, but it's most noticeable in winter.
Example: The North Atlantic Drift, a celebrity current, cranks up winter temperatures in north-west Europe by a whopping 24°C more than the average for their latitude! Talk about a winter warmer!
- Cold currents can reduce temperatures, but this usually requires winds blowing from the sea to the land.
Example: The Labrador Current, off the North American coast, works as a natural air conditioner, keeping summers cooler, but only when the wind is blowing in the right direction.
- Upwelling currents are like oceanic elevators, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water from the ocean floor to the surface, supporting important fisheries.
Example: The best-known upwelling current off the coast of Peru sometimes goes on strike during El Niño events, causing havoc for local fish populations.
Specific heat capacity
- Specific heat capacity is the energy needed to heat up a body.
- Water is like the slowpoke of temperature change - it takes more energy to heat up but also takes longer to cool down.
Example: Think of a day at the beach. The land heats up faster under the sun, but as soon as the sun sets, it cools down rapidly, while the sea remains warm. This makes seaside nights quite pleasant.🌙🌊
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Option B - Oceans & Coastal Margins
Unveiling The Secrets Of Ocean Currents Impact On Climate And Ecosystem
Table of content
Ocean currents 101
- Ocean currents are like highways of the sea, influenced by prevailing winds.
- Mainly they circulate in a roughly circular flow known as gyres, spinning clockwise in the North and anticlockwise in the South. Think of them like big water roundabouts. 🔄
Example: A cool exception is the circumpolar current around Antarctica, which flows west to east, doing its own chilly thing.
- Gyres cause water to pile up into a dome due to Earth's rotation. Imagine water sloshing around in a spinning bucket. 💧🌀
Example: The Gulf Stream, a fast-flowing current, works like a water escalator, moving heat from the Gulf of Mexico northwards across the North Atlantic. It's a bit like a marine underfloor heating system for the British Isles, making winters milder and summers cooler.
- Warm currents move water from the equator, and cold currents move water from cold regions towards the equator.
Example: Imagine the warm Gulf Stream as a gigantic river, moving an epic 55 million cubic meters of water per second! That's like 22,000 Olympic swimming pools every second! 🏊♀️🏊♂️
- Ocean currents are also nutrient taxis, moving essential nutrients around the globe.
Example: The Peru Current and the Benguela Current off south-west Africa bring nutrient-rich waters to the surface, giving a buffet for marine life and supporting vital fisheries.
Ocean currents & temperature
- Currents can act as a natural heater or cooler, depending on whether they're warm or cold.
- Warm currents can raise temperatures in polar areas, but it's most noticeable in winter.
Example: The North Atlantic Drift, a celebrity current, cranks up winter temperatures in north-west Europe by a whopping 24°C more than the average for their latitude! Talk about a winter warmer!
- Cold currents can reduce temperatures, but this usually requires winds blowing from the sea to the land.
Example: The Labrador Current, off the North American coast, works as a natural air conditioner, keeping summers cooler, but only when the wind is blowing in the right direction.
- Upwelling currents are like oceanic elevators, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water from the ocean floor to the surface, supporting important fisheries.
Example: The best-known upwelling current off the coast of Peru sometimes goes on strike during El Niño events, causing havoc for local fish populations.
Specific heat capacity
- Specific heat capacity is the energy needed to heat up a body.
- Water is like the slowpoke of temperature change - it takes more energy to heat up but also takes longer to cool down.
Example: Think of a day at the beach. The land heats up faster under the sun, but as soon as the sun sets, it cools down rapidly, while the sea remains warm. This makes seaside nights quite pleasant.🌙🌊
Unlock the Full Content!
Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Geography HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟